TOKYO — May 28, 2019 — During a press conference in Tokyo today, Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company, presented a glimpse into how the globally popular Pokémon brand will continue to be a trendsetter in gaming. Mr. Ishihara unveiled a broad range of offerings including mobile games, apps, and innovative connected hardware to show the variety of new ways Pokémon Trainers will be able to experience and enhance their Pokémon gameplay.
Pokémon HOME
The world of Pokémon games is more diverse than ever, with a range of titles for Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Now, Trainers can bring all their Pokémon together with Pokémon HOME, a new cloud service app that enables them to continue their Pokémon adventures beyond a single game system and manage their collection of Pokémon across many of their games. Smartphone users can also trade with friends or others around the world directly from Pokémon HOME. Pokémon HOME connects with Pokémon Bank as well as Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games, and also Pokémon GO. Pokémon HOME is expected to launch in early 2020 for iOS and Android devices as well as Nintendo Switch.
Pokémon Sleep
Soon, Trainers will be able to wake up with Pokémon every morning with Pokémon Sleep, a mobile app from The Pokémon Company. Pokémon Sleep aims to turn sleeping into entertainment by having a player’s time spent sleeping, and the time they wake up, effect the gameplay. While more details about the app’s functionality will be revealed at a later date, it was announced that a new device from Nintendo, Pokémon GO Plus +, will connect to Pokémon Sleep and launch with the app. The device will use an embedded accelerometer to track a user’s time sleeping and send this information to their smartphone via Bluetooth. This new device also has the same functions as the original Pokémon GO Plus, so Trainers can use it with Pokémon GO during the day and with Pokémon Sleep at night. Trainers can look forward to Pokémon Sleep launching for mobile devices in 2020. To celebrate this early look at Pokémon Sleep, Trainers around the world will have the chance to encounter Snorlax that are lying down and deep in sleep in Pokémon GO beginning today.
Pokémon Masters
A new Pokémon mobile game called Pokémon Masters is on the way for iOS and Android devices from The Pokémon Company and DeNA. Pokémon Masters enables players to experience a new type of Pokémon battling on the go and features many famous Pokémon Trainers from the long history of Pokémon video games. Gameplay will be optimized for smart devices for a casual but uniquely Pokémon experience. Fans can expect more details about Pokémon Masters in June.
A New Detective Pikachu game for Nintendo Switch
The release of the “POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” movie has left fans wanting more of the famous Pokémon sleuth. The Pokémon Company announced today that Creatures Inc. has plans to create a new entry in the Detective Pikachu video game series, this time for Nintendo Switch. The original Detective Pikachu game for the Nintendo 3DS ended on a cliffhanger and this upcoming game will be a conclusion to that story.
Pokémon Comes to China with Pokémon Quest
Earlier in May, it was announced that the popular mobile game, Pokémon Quest, will be coming to China via NetEase, the second largest game developer in the world and a new partner for The Pokémon Company. Since then, more than 1.7 million players have pre-registered for the game in the country. Today it was revealed that Pokémon Quest in China will be an enhanced version of the game with new player vs. player and social features. While Pokémon Quest marks the first mobile Pokémon game in China, it was also announced that NetEase is working with The Pokémon Company to bring more Pokémon games to the country.
Pokémon Shirts
In addition to gaming news, Mr. Ishihara announced that Pokémon Shirts, a service currently available in Japan that creates made-to-order original clothing designs featuring the first 151 Pokémon, will be coming to the U.S. and Europe.
Source: Pokemon PR
People were expecting earth shattering announcements today when we know full well they’re having a direct next week, so why spoil the fun today, y’know? That being said, there wasn’t a whole lot interesting here for people who aren’t invested in their smartphone. Though Pokemon Masters seems pretty cool. And those shirts look cool as fuck. I’m glad they’re coming to NA.
Those shirts look awesome. And I agree. People are going to freak out about this and complain. They take gaming too seriously.
How about people who don’t even HAVE smartphones (but have basic cellphones used to make phone calls)?
I would say you’re probably not missing much, unless you think one of the games they showed looks cool. Otherwise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is the main dish.
I’ve already missed Meltan/Melmetal.
Plus all of Sonic Runners, Sonic Runners Adventure, and Sonic Forces Speed Battle.
Its funny how the whinners were expecting grand news from the conference. I’m interested of that Gatcha game though
Yeah, anyone expecting earth shattering announcements at this conference has probably not been following Pokémon and Pokémon news for too long. Also, the Pokémon “direct” that they plan to have, makes me think it’ll only be a few minutes long, be on sword and shield, and be some sort of trailer. But ofc I could be wrong.
Well you are wrong because you obviously didn’t read the announcement where it said it would be 15 minutes long
Omg so many mobile games not enough time! Pokemon Sleep sounds weird, and Pokemon Home sounds useful. I’ll just wait, like always.
As expected, nothing that interested me.
I’ll sum this up.
Blah, blah ,OVERLY SIMPLIFIED SMARTPHONE APP, BLAH, BLAH REHASH FRANCHISE THAT IS DYING WITH CASUAL GAMES BUT NOT ON CONSOLE PEOPLE LOVE A BIT TOO MUCH PUT EVERYTHING ON PHONE AND WE BE RICH HAHAHAHAHAHA!
[translation] the filthy casual market are getting content as japan think overseas are like them, WHICH WE ARE NOT!